


Once In A Lullaby

by SirSapling



Category: Marvel, Marvel Ultimates
Genre: (but only VERY briefly) - Freeform, Anthony the Infinity Gem Tumor Child, Comic Book Science, Established Relationship, Kid Fic, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Nervous Steve, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, dad tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24688690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SirSapling/pseuds/SirSapling
Summary: It wasn’t that Steve didn’t want to talk to Anthony, he did, he just hadn’t expected he would ever be able to.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 25
Kudos: 145
Collections: Team Fluff





	Once In A Lullaby

**Author's Note:**

> SteveTony Games Angst vs. Fluff, Fill for: Fluff - Hallucinations  
> Universe: Marvel Ultimates.
> 
> You cannot put 'Hallucinations' and bonus points for ults in front of me and not expect this.
> 
> Thanks to Flame and Ferret for beta-ing this tiny thing, and thanks to S-Hylor for always coming to save me with titles

“Are you sure this is going to work, Tony?”

Steve twisted the phone he had been handed between his fingers, examining the size of it as an excuse to hide his nerves. Ever since Tony had bolted up in the middle of an episode of Y&R to excitedly explain to Steve that he had figured out a way for Anthony to talk to him, Steve had been on edge.

It wasn’t that Steve didn’t want to talk to Anthony, he did, he just hadn’t expected he would ever be able to.

Anthony was somewhat of a new part of their life, and Steve had had his reservations when Tony revealed to him that he had been privately speaking to his own brain tumor. After all, Tony's cancer loomed over them constantly, a reminder for Steve that he could end up all alone again any day, and hallucinations felt like another step towards something that made Steve’s heart clench and twist. But Tony had been patient with him, and watching “Anthony” puppet a small toy across a table from Tony’s mind was enough for Steve to choose to just believe him, it wasn't the first time Tony had defied science. Believing Tony and interacting with Anthony however were two very different things.

For the past three months, Steve had watched as Tony laughed to himself, and listened as he explained to Steve all the brilliant things Anthony was able to do. Steve never saw or spoke to the boy directly, aside from playing an awkward game of telephone with him and Tony on the battlefield for missions. He supposed it didn't help that Steve had no real idea what Anthony looked like. Tony had dug out some old photos of himself as a child from dusty boxes in the town house for him, grinning cheekily alongside Greg and his parents, but that was hardly a comparison for seeing a real tangible person. Without a physical reminder, Steve felt he found it easy to forget Anthony existed. At least, until today.

Tony explained the science of it to him, gesturing wildly as he went on about something to do with his nanites interacting with phones and other technology as a proxy for Anthony, but all Steve could think about was the rushing in his ears as he watched Tony fiddle with his own phone, sitting across the carpet from him. If Steve were being honest, he would much rather be next to Tony -he felt even more exposed and separated from the two of them like this- but Tony had insisted on it to avoid “feedback”. Steve wasn’t sure what that was, but by the look on Tony's face, it wasn’t fun, and he decided to go with it.

So there he was, thoughts about what to say and how to even begin talking to a child, especially one as smart as Tony, whirling and bouncing round his head when Tony’s questioning voice finally snapped him out of it.

“I can’t be sure of anything, Steve, but it’s worth trying isn't it?”

“Can’t argue with that, I guess.”

“Captain America not arguing? I really have corrupted you.”

“You’re a pain.”

“I’m your pain. Are you ready, darling?”

The small curls of warmth that had twisted through him at Tony’s teasing were quickly lost to the flood of anxiety returning as he gave Tony a sharp nod and waited. It was still a surprise when the phone lit up, buzzing to life in his palm, and he scrambled to hit accept, stealing a glance at Tony for support as he lifted it to his ear.

All he could hear was the staticy crackling of background noise, and after a few moments he took a deep breath, deciding to be brave and go first.

“Hi Anthony, my name is Steve.”

There was a pause that felt like it stretched for years as Steve stared at the twisting patterns in the carpet, feeling like all the air had been sucked out of the room as he waited.

“Steve! Hi! Can you hear me? Tony said this would make it so you can!”

Steve’s eyes snapped up to his partner, who seemed to be staring back at him in equal anticipation and giddy excitement, as he processed the new voice in his ear. It certainly wasn’t Tony, not even close. Much higher pitched, bright, like a real child. It reminded Steve of his younger brother from so long ago, or Bucky and Gail’s gaggle of grandchildren he had met once or twice, and he faltered for a moment before scrambling to reply.

“I can, I can hear you, It’s nice to meet you, Anthony. Tony has told me a lot about you.”

Steve watched Tony as he talked, who seemed to be staring down into the space on top of his lap with a fond grin, where Steve could assume his hallucination of Anthony was sitting, probably leaning to talk into the phone Tony was holding in mid air for him. Strangely, Steve could now almost imagine him there, his mind starting to pull together an image of the 8-year-old Tony had been describing to him for so long. 

“Tony tells me lots about you too! You’re Captain America!” the voice from the phone chirped, and that got Steve to smile, the anxiety from earlier slowly leaching away as he listened to Tony huff happily at Anthony's excitement. This was something he did know, he had years of practicing how to talk to children about being a superhero, even if they often flocked to marvel at the Iron Man suit instead. Steve couldn't really blame them, he did too.

“That’s right, I am. At least when I have my uniform and the shield. Right now I’m just Steve.”

“Tony says just Steve is his favourite superhero.”

Steve felt a laugh burst out of him as Tony leaned down to whisper to Anthony about betraying secrets, red spreading beautifully across his cheeks. Peels of childish laughter and giggling echoed into his ear through the phone, and Steve smiled. 

Things would be okay. 

**Author's Note:**

> [Rebloggable on Tumblr Here.](https://sirsapling.tumblr.com/post/620757772617875456/once-in-a-lullaby)


End file.
